Machine-made braid and process of making same



Aprfl 1936. R, W. HALE IIIIII MACHINE MADE BRAID AND PROCESS OF MAKINGSAME Filed Oct. 8, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l 666666656 I/ 1 I jig/ I I I I Il I I I I I I I I I I I I I I l I l I I I I I I I' l I I I I I I 1 I WAprfl 7, 1%. R, W A E 2,036,805

MACHINE MADE BRAID AND PROCESS OF MAKING SAME Filed Oct. 8, 1935 2Sheets-Sheet 2 I 77/220 715 0 2.- Bqge? WHaZe, [2% WM A") may ger ale,

Application @ctober b,

II lllaims.

This application is a true division in part of and is also acontinuation as to common subject matter of my copending applicationSer. No. 740,072, filed August 16, 1934 now Patent No. 2,020,683,November 12, 1935. 1

This invention relates to a machine-made braid, and to the process ofmaking the same.

In order that the principle of the invention may be readily understood,I have disclosed in the accompanying drawings one type only of the saidbraid and have indicated the steps of manufacturing the same so that theprocess of the invention may be clearly understood.

In the drawings,-

Fig. l is a diagrammatic representation, with the middle portion brokenaway, of a leather hide or other material from which parallel-sidedpieces are cut, to be thereafter cut into strands;

Fig. 2 is a view of one of said pieces with the indication of thecutting of the same into parallel-sided strands of the proper width;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation, with ends broken away, of a single unitstrand and indicating how the beveled ends of two original strands aresecured together so as to make a single unit strand of indefinitelength;

Figs. 4 and 5 are somewhat diagrammatic views of four strands beingbraided together, and indicating at two different instants of time thelifting or drawing outwardly of two over-strands to allow the twounder-strands to be properly laid;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a short piece of a braid composed of fourstrands;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6, but representing a somewhat longerlength of the braid upon a larger scale; i

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Figs. 6 and 7 but indicating the use of morethan four strands; and

Fig. 9 is a side elevation indicating the braid as of indefinite lengthand of unitary character, the same being shown as wound upon a spool.

In my parent application Ser. No. 740,072, now Patent No. 2,020,683, Ihave disclosed means for mechanically making a braid of indefinite orindeterminate length and with the same face of each strand alwaysoutermost. The braid herein claimed as an article of manufacture isnecessarily a machine-made braid, inasmuch as it must be not only ofindefinite length, but is of accurate uniformity in diameter throughoutwith all the strands under the same uniform tension throughout themaking of the braid.

The braid of my invention is an ornamental object of manufacture. As afinal product the braided surface is visible and fully exposedthroughout its entire extent. Thus, it is entirely contrasted withbraids of relatively large diameter formed as hollow articles serving asconduits and the braided surface whereof is covered over 1935, SerialNo. lldl d (lll. 9d-25) with some outer wrapping. My braid is essen-Even if in the braiding operation an am'al element be employed in makingthe braid, such element is of very small diameter and does not enlarge,or substantially enlarge, the minimum diameter of the braid.

It is essential that each strand be maintained I with thesame facethereof always outergiost, whether the strand be one of leather, thushav-. ing a flesh side and a hair side, or whether the strand, afterbeing out, be folded along a length:

wise line upon itself, thus having inturned edges which meet orsubstantially meet in a so-called seam. In any event, it is essential tomy invention that the several strands be very tightly braided togetherand that they be kept at all times with the same face always outermost.For simplicity of description, I shall refer to one of the faces as thesuperior face and the other as the inferior or opposite face.

While the braid may bemade upon many different types of braidingmachine, it is necessary to provide means close to the braiding point torectify .or correct the position of the several strands predeterminedly,so as thereby to prevent the leading edge of one of the strands frombeing displaced from its true position ,by another strand of the series.I have therefore indicated generally at l, 2, in Figs. 4 and 5, one formof means for so predeterminedly rectifying or correcting the position ofthe braidclose to the braiding point. Any other suitable means foraccomplishing the same purpose may be employed. It is unnecessary todescribe the operation of the mechanism in detail or to refer in detailto the braiding machine shown in my said patent.

Referring specifically to the figures or the drawings, I have in Fig. 1indicated at 4 a piece of leather with the middle portion broken away.This represents the hide, but with the two lateral edges cut away, asthey are the part of the hide least suited to the making of braidedmaterial of the best class. In said Fig. l, I have indicated in dottedlines at 5 the places where the hide will be out into strips or pieces6, which are accurate- 1y parallel sided. Desirably said strips orpieces -6 are about two inches in width. In Fig. 2, I have represented asingle one of said strips or pieces 6 and have indicated by parallellines I that the same are to be cut into strands B of accurately uniformwidth. While, of course, the width of the strands may varyjI preferablyso cut the pieces 6 that each strand is from vonesixteenth to one-eighthof an inch in width, the thickness being usually .01 to .03 of an inch.

My invention is not limited to the making of the braid of any particularmaterial as a large number of different materials may be used by me. Ihave, however, indicated the making of a braid of leather. In Fig. 3 isrepresented, with the ends broken away, a part of what I term a singleunit strand 9. In order that the said strand, particularly when ofleather, may be of indefinite length, and inasmuch as leather pieces arenecessarily of a relatively short length I oppositely bevel two strandsof leather, as indicated at II] in Fig. 3, and adhesively secure themtogether by some suitable glue or other adhesive, and in such way thatthe flesh face of all the joined elements of the strand is at the sameside. If, however, the material used is originally manufactured in greatlengths, it is unnecessary-to splice strands together to make a singlestrand of the proper length. The leather strands of indefinite orcontinuous length thus made by me are braided in a flat condition asstrands of greater width than thickness, and in the completed braid saidstrands are flat.

Within the scope of my invention, I may make the braid of any desirednumber of strands, and I am not limited to the use of any particularnumber of strands. However, in Figs. 4, 5 and 6, I have indicated thebraid as of four strands, which in Figs. 4 and 5 I have respectivelyindicated by the characters A, B, C, D. I have, in Figs. 4 and 5,indicated also an axial member I I, but my invention is in no wiselimited to the use of an axial member.

It will be understood that each strand is substantially flat and isaccurately parallel sided, thus being of uniform thickness and uniformdiameter throughout. It will also be understood that in forming thebraid, the same face of each strand is always positioned outermost sothat the completed braid is devoid of any displacement or twisting ofany of the strands at any part thereof. It will also be understood thateach strand is laid smoothly and that the strands are all heldconstantly at the same uniform tension, and that the resulting braid, asshown at I2 in Figs. 6 and '7 as well as in Figs. 4 and 5, is ofaccurately uniform diameter throughout.

1 I herein term the braid of my invention a machine-made braid. Ibelieve it to be impossible to make by hand a braid of uniform diameterthroughout that is tightly braided and all the strands whereof arepreserved at all times under the same constant tension and wherein allthe strands are predeterminedly laid with the same face alwaysoutermost.

When making the braid shown in Fig. 4, I have indicated the use of fourcarriers which move in two pairs or sets along contrasting paths, asfully shown in the said parent application. Each of the strands A, B,'C,D proceeds from its own braiding carrier to the braiding point. At anyinstant of time during the braiding operation, two of the strandsfunction as under-strands, and the other two as over-strands, the saidtwo under-strands almost immediately thereafter functioning asover-strands, and said overstrands then functioning as under-strands. In

other words, each strand functions at one time as an under-strand andthen as an over-strand, again as an under-strand, and so on throughoutthe entire braiding operation, which may be continued indefinitely.

Heretofore, when it has been attempted to braid fiat strands ofmaterial, the strands, when functioning as over-strands would so engageone or more of the under-strands at the braiding point as to turn theleading edge of an understrand upon itself, with the result that saidunder-strand has gradually turned more or less, being first slightly andthen increasingly deflected from its true path, and thus was laid withthe inferior face outermost for a longer or shorter period of time,instead of with the superior face always outermost.

In making my braid, I provide any suitable means, as, for example, fourdisks, two of which are indicated at I and 2 in Fig. 4, to prevent thetrailing edge of an over-strand from contacting with the leading end ofan under-strand in such way at such time as to tend to cause the leadingend of the under-strand to be diverted from its proper direction orposition.

This is preferably accomplished by drawing outwardly or lifting the twoover-strands so as to allow the two under-strands not only to be laidwith the superior face always outermost, but in such a way as to allowthe two under-strands to crowd up tight into the vertex of the anglethat is made by one of the over-strands and the axial member II.

Whatever means is employed, it is desirably positioned in closeproximity to the braiding point with the result that the proper positionof all the strands of the braid is constantly maintained at the braidingpoint and a very tight braid is made. The said braid I2 made asdescribed is of accurately uniform diameter throughout, all the strandsbeing at all times maintained under the same tension. What 1 term thediamonds of the braid are indicated at I3, and itis to be understoodthat at any two equal length portions of the braid, there are the samenumber of diamonds, the angles of all the diamonds being respectivelythe same, as clearly indicated in Figs. 6, 7 and 8.

In said Figs. 6 and 7, the four strands are indicated by their referencecharacters A, B, C, D. In making braid, the strands A and D move in onedirection and the strands B and C in the opposite direction. Owing tothe employment of exact and uniform tension on all the strands of themachine-made braid, the so-called diamonds are symmetrically disposed.If it were attempted to make a similar hand-made braid, an exactequality of tension could not be maintained upon all the strands, andthe result would be that the diamonds would not be symmetricallypositioned, but would be more or less askew or spiraled. This woulddetract from the appearance of the braid.

It is to be understood that the braid may be round or flat in crosssection. In making a round or tubular braid, if an increase in thenumber of carriers is desired, the increase is preferably in evennumbers of pairs, and for flat work the iscrease is preferably by oddnumbers.

Referring again to Figs. 4 and 5, the same represent the position of thefour strands A, B, C, D at two different instants of time. In Fig. 4, atthe instant indicated, the two strands A and D are acting asover-strands and are then moving in a clockwise direction, and thestrands B and C are at the same instant of time acting as understrandsand are moving in a contraclockwise direction. Strand A is in contactwith the periphery of its small disk I on the rising side thereof, andstrand D is similarly in contact with its disk 2 at the rising sidethereof. The result islll aoaaeot that the two over-strands are at thesame instant lifted or moved outwardly or spread apart in the mannerclearly indicated in Fig. 4. This permits the other two strands (namelythe strands B and C) which are then functioning as understrands to becrowded each up tight into the vertex of the angle that is at suchinstant formed by one over-strand and the axial member ll.

Not only are the two over-strands (which at one instant of time would bethe two strands A and D and immediately thereafter would be the strandsB and C) lifted by their respective small disks, but they are held up orout sufficiently long to allow the strands functioning as understrandsat that instant to position themselves properly before the over-strandsdrop down upon the under-strands and impair their proper positioning.Thus, the position of the strands is rectified.

Bearing in mind the fact that it is highly important in makingthe braidof my invention that each strand be laid with the same face thereofalways outermost, it is to be understood that the leading edge of anunder-strand is the edge which would (but for my invention) be displacedor turned if it were allowed to come in contact with an-over-strand.Each under-strand may be regarded asalways having a certain other strandrelated thereto as the over-strand from which the danger of displacementmay come. If there be four strands, as indicated in Figs. 4 and 5, it

- may be assumed that at a given instant of time till till

strands A and D are over-strands, and strands B and C are under-strands.would be in danger of being displaced by over strand A, and under-strandC would be in danger of being displaced by over-strand D. Byproviding-m'eans preferably of the character shown in Figs. d and 5, inclose proximity to the braiding point, the two strands which at anygiven instant of time are acting as over-strands are prevented fromcausing displacement of the strands which are under-strands at thatinstant.

if I do not employ an axial element, such as ll, in making the braid, itmay apply to the strand during braiding some material to cause thestrands to adhere tightly throughout their length in their correctbraiding position, as, for example, some lacquer solution.

ll/fy invention is not limited to the use of any particular number ofstrands; preferably I employ at least four and such number is indicatedin Figs. 4, 5, 6, 7. In Fig. 8, however, a larger number of strands isindicated. It is to be understood that if in the braiding operation anyone of the strands should break or run out from its spool or source ofsupply, the operative immediately applies a new end or strand insubstitution therefor, which at once becomes wrapped in and then quicklybraided in properly with the other strands so that to all intents andpurposes the braid is of uniform diameter throughout its entire length.

In order to indicate that the'braid is of unlimited or indeterminatelength, I have in Fig. 9 indicated at lt a spool upon which the braid isaccumulated as it is delivered by the braiding mechanism. The said braidis taken up from the braiding mechanism under proper tension, and theproper tension upon the strands and upon the braid are maintaineduniform throughout the entire operation. I do not herein specificallyclaim an essentially tubular braid formed from a multiplicity ofstrands, such, for example, as shown is Fig. 8.

Under-strand B I Having thus described one illustrative embodiment ofthe article of my invention and indicated the steps for carrying out theprocess, it is to be understood that although specific terms areemployed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense and not forpurposes of limitation,'the scope of the invention being set forth inthe following claims.

I claim:

l. A machine-made braid that is unitarily made of great and unlimitedlength, composed of a series of parallel sided strands, at least threein number, each strand being of greater width than thickness and eachstrand throughout the entire braid having the same face alwaysoutermost, the said braid being of accurately uniform diameterthroughout and having each strand equally tensioned throughout, thetension of all the strands being uniform and said strands being tightlybraided throughout, each strand throughout having its edges in undsplaced condition, there being in each unit of length throughout thebraid an equal number of exposed diamond areas of each strand, and ineach such area the corresponding angles of the diamonds being uniformthroughout the braid, and each strand consisting of a multiplicity oflike members or portions united into a single unit strand by matingbeveled ends said braid being essentially solid and of a diametersubstantially the minimum obtainable from the act of tightly braidingsaid plurality of strands into a substantially solid mass, the completedbraid as to its entire surface being wholly visible and fully exposed inits ultimate form as an ornamental article of manufacture.

2. A machine-made braid that is unitarily made of great and unlimitedlength, composed of a series of parallel-sided strands, at least threein number, each strand being of greater width than thickness and eachstrand throughout the entire braid having the same face alwaysoutermost, said strands being tightly braided throughout and each strandthroughout having its edges in undisplaced condition, there being ineach unit of length throughout the braid an equal number of exposeddiamond areas of each strand, and in each such area the correspondingangles of the diamonds being uniform throughout the braid, and eachstrand consisting of a multiplicity of like members or portions unitedinto a single unit strand by mating beveled ends, said braid beingessentially solid and of a diameter substantially the minimum obtainablefrom the act of tightly braiding said plurality of strands into asubstantially solid mass, the completed braid as to its entire surfacebeing wholly visible and fully exposed in itsultimate form as anornamental article of manufacture.

3. A machine-made braid that is unitarily made of great and unlimitedlength, composed of a series of parallel-sided strands, at least threein number, each strand being of greater width than thickness and eachstrand throughout the entire braid having the same face alwaysoutermost, said strands being tightly braided throughout and each strandthroughout having its edges in undisplaced condition, and each strandcon- 'sisting of a multiplicity of like members or portions united intoa single unit strand by mating beveled ends said braid being essentiallysolid and of a diameter substantially the minimum obtainable from theact of tightly braiding said plurality of strands into a substantiallysolid mass, the completed braid as to its entire surface being whollyvisible and fully exposed in its ultimate form as an ornamental articleof manufacture.

4. A machine-made braid that is unitarily made of great and unlimitedlength, composed of a series of parallel-sided strands, at least threein number, each strand being of greater width than thickness and eachstrand throughout the entire braid having the same face alwaysoutermost, said strands being tightly braided throughout and each strandthroughout having its edges in undisplaced condition said braid beingessentially solid and of a diameter substantially the minimum obtainablefrom the act of tightly braiding said plurality of strands into asubstantially solid mass, the completed braid as to its entire surfacebeing wholly visible and fully exposed in its ultimate form as anornamental article of manufacture.

5. A machine-made braid that is unitarily made'of great and unlimitedlength, composed of a series of parallel-sided strands, at least four innumber, each strand being of greater width than thickness and eachstrand throughout the entire braid having the same face alwaysoutermost, said strands being tightly braided throughout and each strandthroughout having its edges in undisplaced condition said braid beingessentially solid and of a diameter substantially the minimum obtainablefrom the act of tightly braiding said plurality of strands into asubstantially solid mass, the completed braid as to its entire surfacebeing wholly visible and fully exposed in its ultimate form as anornamental article of manufacture;

6. A machine-made braid that is unitarily made of great and unlimitedlength, composed of a series of parallel-sided strands, said seriesbeing composed of an even number of strands, each strand being ofgreater width than thickness and each strand throughout the entire braidhaving the same face always outermost, said strands being tightlybraided throughout and each strand throughout having its edges inundisplaced condition said braid being essentially solid and of adiameter substantially the minimum obtainable from the act of tightlybraiding said plurality of strands into a substantially solid mass, thecompleted braid as to its entire surface being wholly visible and fullyexposed in its ultimate form as an ornamental article of manufacture.

7. A machine-made braid that is unitarily made of great and unlimitedlength, composed of a series of parallel-sided, leather strands, atleast three in number, each strand being of greater width than thicknessand each strand throughout the entire braid having the same face alwaysoutermost, said strands being tightly braided throughout and each strandthroughout having its edges in undisplaced condition, each of saidstrands lying in the braid as a flat member of greater width thanthickness, said braid being essentially solid and of a diametersubstantially the minimum obtainable from the act of tightly braidingsaid plurality of strands into a substantially solid mass, the completedbraid as to its entire surface being wholly visible and fully exposed inits ultimate form as an ornamental article of manufacture.

8. A machine-made braid that is unitarily made of great and unlimitedlength, composed of a series of parallel sided strands, at least threein number, each strand being of greater width than thickness and eachstrand throughout the tainable from the act of tightly braiding saidplurality of strands into a substantially solid mass, the completedbraid as to its entire surface being wholly visible and fully exposed inits ultimate form as an ornamental article of manufacture.

9. That method of making a machine-made braid essentially solid and ofsubstantially the minimum diameter obtainable from the act of tightlybraiding strands together and that is unitarily made of great andunlimited length, which comprises the following steps: preparing aseries of accurately parallel-sided strands of leather, and in so doingrendering each strand a single unit strand of indefinite length bysplicing together the ends of like strands; braiding said strandstightly together in a fiat condition and in doing so maintaining eachstrand with the same face always outermost and maintaining the sameuniform tension on all the strands with all said strands tightlycompacted into an essentially solid braid of the minimum diameterresulting from said compacting; and rendering the braid of accuratelyuniform diameter throughout in and by the said making thereof.

10. That method of making machine-made braid essentially solid and ofsubstantially the minimum diameter obtainable from the act of tightlybraiding strands together and that is unitarily made of great andunlimited length, which comprises the following steps: preparing aseries of accurately parallel sided strands, and in so doing renderingeach strand a single unit strand of indefinite length by splicingtogether the ends of like strands; braiding said strands tightlytogether in a fiat condition and in doing so maintaming each strand withthe same face always outermost and maintaining the same uniform tensionon all the strands with all said strands tightly compacted into anessentially solid braid of the minimum diameter resulting from saidcompacting; and rendering the braid of accurately uniform diameterthroughout in and by the said making thereof.

11. A machine-made braid that is unitarily made of great and unlimitedlength, composed of an even number of strands, each strand being ofgreater width than thickness and each strand throughout the entire braidhaving the same face always outermost, the said strands being tightlybraided throughout and under the same uniform tension, each strandthroughout having its edges in undisplaced condition and the severaldiamonds of the braid being, in consequence of the uniform tension uponthe several strands, symmetricaly positioned throughout said braid beingessentially solid and of a diameter substantially the minimum obtainablefrom the act of tightly braiding said plurality of strands into asubstantially solid mass, the completed braid as to its entire surfacebeing wholly visible and fully exposed in its ultimate form as anornamental article of manufacture.

ROGER W. HALE.

